PSA: You Don't Have to Pay Travel Tax When Flying from Mindanao or Palawan to These Countries
Certain international flights departing from Mindanao and Palawan are exempt from Philippine travel tax. Here's who qualifies and the destinations covered.
by Em Enriquez
Published on Jul 21, 2026
The travel tax is one of the most polarizing mandates for Philippine passport holders. Initiated in 1956, the tax goes to "nation-building efforts" concerning the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) itself. Economy-class passengers are charged P1,620, while first-class passengers are expected to pay P2,700 prior to checking in for their flights.
Given the rather hefty amount it requires of travelers, many have questioned the necessity of the tax—especially since the Philippines remains the only Southeast Asian nation to still uphold such a levy. However, there are some cases when the tax is waived, including when a passenger departs from an airport in Mindanao or Palawan.
Travelers from Mindanao and Palawan Are Exempt from Paying Travel Tax to These Destinations
In August 2024, President Marcos Jr. signed Memorandum Order No. 29, which states that:
"All travelers by air and/or sea departing from all international airports and/or seaports in Mindanao and Palawan, and who are bound for any destination in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) are exempt from payment of Travel Tax."
The memorandum states that the exemption applies to connecting flights within 24 hours and that the mandate is effective until June 30, 2028, unless revoked sooner. An official travel tax exemption certificate may be procured directly from the TIEZA.
The removal of the travel tax aims to "further sustain and accelerate economic development in Mindanao and Palawan. Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Leo Tereso Magno states that this effort seeks to "revive interconnection" between Mindanao and Palawan and the regions involved in the BIMP-EAGA. Aside from increasing tourism, the removal of the tax is also intended to provide a more convenient route for imports and exports.
"What we are trying to do right now is to find exemptions, not only on these taxes. This is just the first step into finding other ways to minimize the travel cost or the cost of shipping products from the different areas of BIMP-EAGA," the secretary continued.
So if you're from Mindanao or Palawan and are headed to anywhere within Brunei, Indonesia, or Malaysia, you can erase the travel tax from your expenses tracker.
Em is queer and probably daydreaming somewhere. They're Preview's associate entertainment editor who's often spotted in cowboy boots and lemon-tinted sunnies.